7 Helpful Skills You Can Learn

Heaving a Line.

Tossing a line is something we do all the time when we come to a dock and feeling confident about successfully throwing your line without missing your mark or hitting the line handler in the face is a great first skill to master.

Here’s a great video link to watch. Notice they are heaving the line to the person’s side and not directly at their face.

Securing Lines to a Cleat.

FROM THE BOAT CLEAT:

TO THE DOCK CLEAT:

Here’s a link to a basic video showing how to secure a line to a cleat.

Deck Management.

Keeping the topside organized and free of hazards makes for a safer boat and reduces tripping and falls.

Anchoring Basics.

  • How to use the windlass that raises and lowers the anchor.
  • The 4 Hand signals we commonly use to communicate anchoring procedures with the captain.
    • Direction on anchor.
    • Raise the anchor.
    • Raised anchor is up but dirty.
    • Anchor is in the pocket.

Tying on Fenders.

Landlubbers often call these “boat bumpers” because fenders cushion the side of the boat and prevent it from coming in contact with other boats, docks, etc.

    • How to lash fenders to the side with a quick release. video.
    • Where the markings are to help you place the fenders.
    • How to quickly remove and stow the fenders.

Picking Up a Mooring Buoy.

We calling it being “on the ball” when we grab a floating mooring buoy and tie our boat off to it.  Here’s a video for a simple way to grab the ball.

Sail Management.

Helping the captain manage the sails is extremely helpful and a super fun job on deck.

    • Guiding sails as they are raised between the stays.
    • Learning to “flake” the sail back into the lazy bag.